MCPS Middle Schools With Advanced English vs. Others With Advanced English AND Regular English?

[Anonymous]

Why do some MCPS middle schools only have advanced English but others have Regular AND Advanced English? For example, Robert Frost and Cabin John middle have it but other schools have both. I've heard that advanced is not really advanced in these schools because everyone is in it (so no need to belabor this point) but why only at those schools? Is this a special 'W' school privilege? Are the English classes at Frost and Cabin John challenging??

[Anonymous]

Following. I would like to know how much the two curricula differ, and also whether instruction varies from school to school for each of the two courses.

[Anonymous]

Basically it's up to each school's administration/English content specialist to decide which courses they will offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basically it's up to each school's administration/English content specialist to decide which courses they will offer.

This. Admin makes all classes "advanced" because it makes scheduling easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do some MCPS middle schools only have advanced English but others have Regular AND Advanced English? For example, Robert Frost and Cabin John middle have it but other schools have both. I've heard that advanced is not really advanced in these schools because everyone is in it (so no need to belabor this point) but why only at those schools? Is this a special 'W' school privilege? Are the English classes at Frost and Cabin John challenging??

Ours only has advanced english. It's a lot easier than 4th grade CES.

[Anonymous]

What school for advanced English?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do some MCPS middle schools only have advanced English but others have Regular AND Advanced English? For example, Robert Frost and Cabin John middle have it but other schools have both. I've heard that advanced is not really advanced in these schools because everyone is in it (so no need to belabor this point) but why only at those schools? Is this a special 'W' school privilege? Are the English classes at Frost and Cabin John challenging??

Ours only has advanced english. It's a lot easier than 4th grade CES.

What school are you referring to for advanced English?

[Anonymous]

NP. Banneker MS has only advanced English.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about currently, but a few years ago Newport Mill MS had both regular and advanced English. Most students were in advanced English. There was only one section of regular English.

[Anonymous]

SSIMS used to have both classes, but switched to Advanced English for all a few years ago when they adopted the StudySync curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Our school has advanced English for everyone.

It is not advanced. But it's called it!

[Anonymous]

ours has “advanced” for all too! A total joke — some kids speak no English or are so low-functioning they can’t write a sentence.

[Anonymous]

This is such a shame, and a black eye for MCPS. Parents honestly need to organize to get differentiated instruction back in MS. I'm sympathetic to the trend toward heterogenous classrooms in ES for the sake of equity, but by middle school kids have either taken advantage of the opportunities MCPS has provided or they have not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is such a shame, and a black eye for MCPS. Parents honestly need to organize to get differentiated instruction back in MS. I'm sympathetic to the trend toward heterogenous classrooms in ES for the sake of equity, but by middle school kids have either taken advantage of the opportunities MCPS has provided or they have not.

Agree that MS is the weak link. MS classes are so big and teachers have at least 120 students. It is hard to get to know the kids. Curriculum is bad - classes are no fun and stultifying to above average students. Studysync is awful for English and has brought the level down rather than up. MCPSś moves seem to make things worse rather than better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do some MCPS middle schools only have advanced English but others have Regular AND Advanced English? For example, Robert Frost and Cabin John middle have it but other schools have both. I've heard that advanced is not really advanced in these schools because everyone is in it (so no need to belabor this point) but why only at those schools? Is this a special 'W' school privilege? Are the English classes at Frost and Cabin John challenging??

Ours only has advanced english. It's a lot easier than 4th grade CES.

This was true years ago, too, when my now HSer went to HGC, then home MS.

MS is the weakest link here. MCPS does a terrible job getting the 8th graders ready for more rigorous AP classes in HS.